PLAYER PROFILE – Promise David is a striker for both the CANMNT and the Belgian Pro League club, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. The 6’5” player, who was born in Brampton, Ontario, played for Nigeria in his youth as both his parents are Nigerian.
Promise David: An Upcoming Young CANMNT Striker
Childhood
Promise David began playing soccer with the Toronto FC Academy before making his mark with Vaughan SC. This is what Anthony Vadori, Vaughan’s director of men’s high performance, said about him (Source: Neil Davidson of The Canadian Press):
“He almost looked clumsy when he ran. But he had a nose for goal,” said Vadori. “He always found himself in front of the goal with an opportunity to shoot.”
Even though David grew up mostly in Canada, he did live in Nigeria for four years as a child (Source: Joshua Kloke of The Athletic).
As a result, the Canadian/Nigerian striker played two games for the Nigerian under-23 team back in 2022. Still, David feels loyalty to the country where he grew up, and that is why he wants to represent the CANMNT (Source: Tom Nightingale of the Canadian Soccer Daily):
“Canadian football raised me,” David told Kloke. “So, I feel like I owe it back to Canada to perform for them. Playing for Nigeria was great, but it was just an opportunity. I like what [Marsch] has done with the team. You see the rapid increase. I think being a part of that history is an opportunity I should not pass up.”
Marsch did a great job taking the national team far in the 2024 Copa America competition. Also, their win on the road against the USMNT last year might have been another factor for David joining the team.
David also mentioned that he got his confidence in scoring goals from his dad (Source: TSN YouTube Account).
Professional/Senior Career
David started his time with Valletta F.C., where he scored two goals in nine appearances. He would also play for the Sirens Football Club, where he did not score a goal in seven appearances for the team. David also stepped up for the Nõmme Kalju U21 team, scoring 22 goals in 19 games.
Nõmme Kalju (2023-24)
David talked about playing for Nõmme Kalju and the coaching staff that came into the club while he was with the team (Source: Josh Deming of JJDTV):
David elevated his game while playing for Nõmme, scoring 21 goals in 39 appearances. He has obviously excelled in Estonia, which resulted in him moving to Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.
Union Saint-Gilloise (2024-Present)
David has had a lot of success since playing in Belgium, with one of his many goals being seen above.
His teammate, Noah Sadiki, said this on the Extra Time show (Source: Ed Dove of ESPN):
“[Tobi] worked a lot,” teammate Noah Sadiki revealed on the Extra Time show. “We supported him a lot too, because it was difficult, but he’s become a machine.”
It has not always been easy for David; however, his time with Union Saint-Gilloise has showcased his exceptional skills. Since 2024, he has had 19 goals in 34 games. This included scoring two of the three goals in a league-clinching 3-1 win over Gent on Sunday. This was Union Saint-Gilloise’s first Belgian league title in 90 years.
David, although a confident goal-scorer, gave praise to his teammates as the celebrations happened (Source: Tom Nightingale of The Canadian Soccer Daily):
“We’re making ourselves champions!” David said, when a DAZN reporter put it to him that his goals had won the league. “I don’t play 90 minutes, and I don’t play every position, you know. Somebody’s got to pass the ball to me before I put it in. Today, I was just the cherry on top, but everybody was ice cream.”
David’s success continued, as he also made personal history with the CANMNT.
CANMNT (2025-Present)
David was on the radar for Marsch for a while, as he had been impressed by David. Marsch talked about what that means for David and what he can bring to the national team.
“Promise is a really level-headed guy who’s got a big personality and is really excited about his position here with the national team,” Marsch said. “He’s really eager to establish himself with our group, watching him perform over the last year.”
READ MORE: CANMNT 2025 CNL Finals Roster: Two Promising Forwards
Promise David was on the roster for the Concacaf Nations League against Mexico and the U.S. However, he did not play until the 2025 Canadian Shield competition took place.
In his first game for the CANMNT, he scored a goal against Ukraine. This is how David described scoring the goal (Source: OneSoccer X Account):
“It was a full-circle moment. The last time I was here at BMO Field, I was a ballboy for Toronto FC,” David said to OneSoccer. “I’m going to continue to elevate my game and do everything I can for the team.”
It was certainly a memorable moment for David, who will have many more for the national team. He also scored one goal against Honduras in his first-ever Concacaf Gold Cup game.
READ MORE: Doneil Henry: The Hard-Nosed CANMNT Centre-Back
Games Coming Up for the CANMNT
After a disappointing draw against Curaçao, Canada still sits at the top of the table with four points. A win would mean Canada would qualify for the knockout stages of the Concacaf Gold Cup at the top of the group. This is while a draw would guarantee that Canada would finish at least in the top two teams in the competition and qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.
The game will happen at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, on June 24, 2025, at 10:00 pm ET (9:00 pm local time). Fans in Canada can watch the game live on TSN and RDS. In addition, fans can also watch their team play on OneSoccer and FuboTV.
READ MORE: CANMNT Player Profile: Dangerous Forward, Daniel Jebbison
Photo Credit: CANMNT X Account (Soccer) on June 16, 2025.
